By Terry Wilson - The Chicago Tribune, July 26, 1996

By day he assembles tables, chairs and other furnishings, a humble existence that pays the bills.

But for a month of evenings, Lobsang Yangphel, 27, of the North Side, has used his knowledge of traditional Tibetan arts like drawing, carving, songwriting and dance to prepare for the arrival of Tibet's exiled spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama.

"There is nothing better than to be able to do something good for His Holiness," Yangphel said through a translator. "The opportunity to show one's skills speaks volumes for people fighting to preserve their own culture. I did it with great pleasure."

The Dalai Lama, a 1989 Nobel Prize recipient, long has drawn a throng of curious people as well as supporters who want Tibet freed from Chinese control, which it has been under since 1959.

No one longs for his words more than Tibetans, whom he meets with privately for 20 to 30 minutes when he travels. He will meet with them Saturday afternoon at a private home in a northern suburb.

"For the Tibetans to see the Dalai Lama is a great opportunity and a privilege," said Karma Zurkhang, 45, director of the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago.

Zurkhang said he is expecting up to 500 Tibetans to come to Chicago, some from Massachusetts, Michigan, Indiana, New York and California.

"He talks about the welfare of Tibetans in the United States and issues abroad," Zurkhang said. "He talks to us like parents talk to their children. He tells us to try to be responsible in the community where we live and to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility."

Many Tibetans have seen the Dalai Lama before.

Kelsang, 34, who has only one name, said he has seen the Dalai Lama more than 30 times but still looks forward to each appearance.

And Tenzin Wangyal, 18, a Tibetan born in India, where her parents were in exile, said she has never been to Tibet, but she has seen His Holiness in India.

To prepare for the visit, the local community of about 100 Tibetans, many of whom reside in a high-rise in the 5200 block of North Sheridan Road, decided to make a welcome gate for the Dalai Lama, a traditional wooden structure that shows respect for visiting dignitaries.

Yangphel, known for his grasp of Tibetan culture, was asked to construct the 12- by 15-foot gate, featuring the eight symbols of Buddhism, including the lotus blossom, a symbolically beautiful flower that grows on top of mud, the conch shell, a symbol of the teachings of Buddha and the endless knot, which symbolizes how all things are interconnected.

Yangphel, who also plays the dranyen, a six-string, guitar-like instrument, has written three songs and taught six Tibetan women the verses and the dances he choreographed to accompany the songs.

"We were lucky we didn't have to go look for somebody (knowledgeable in Tibetan arts)," Zurkhang said. "For him, it is one of the greatest honors."

By assisting Yangphel, Tibetans learn about their culture and pass on what they've learned to their children.

At 10 a.m. Sunday, Tibetans will gather outside the Park Hyatt Hotel, 800 N. Michigan Ave., to greet the Dalai Lama. The welcome gate will be visible at the Medinah Temple, when the Dalai Lama speaks from 2 to 4 p.m.